Ex-Lake County sheriff's deputy accused of selling pain pills

MIDDLETOWN -- County sheriff's officials arrested a former colleague on charges of working to sell prescription drugs Monday.

Former Lake County Sheriff's Office (LCSO) deputy Eric Van Mendonca was taken into custody on 16 felony counts for allegedly possessing and transporting hydrocodone for sale between July 2010 and last February.

Authorities learned of allegations that Mendonca, 43, was selling his medication while conducting an investigation into an alleged October 2012 robbery attempt that led to the FBI arresting Mendonca and three other men last December. Federal prosecutors dropped the charges against Mendonca in that case in April.

The Lake County District Attorney's Office filed a criminal complaint alleging the 16 felonies against Mendonca last week, and Judge Stephen O. Hedstrom issued an arrest warrant June 12.

LCSO investigators reportedly took Mendonca into custody at his Middletown home early Monday afternoon. He was booked into the Lake County Hill Road Correctional Facility Monday evening and subsequently posted bail.

Mendonca is due to make his first court appearance in the case in August. It was not immediately clear whether he is represented by an attorney.

The Middletown man worked as an LCSO deputy for almost seven years before retiring for medical reasons in 2003. Court records indicate Mendonca suffered a back injury.

Authorities allege pharmacy records stated he obtained copious amounts of painkillers from as many as six doctors between 2003 and this year. Investigators claim he got more than 17,500 pills -- the vast majority of which were hydrocodone -- between March 2009 and last February, with nearly 7,000 pills alone coming in 2012, according to an FBI Safe Streets Task Force representative whose report is included in the Lake County court file.

Witnesses came forward and told authorities Mendonca was selling pain pills during the federal investigation into an Oct. 4 incident during which four men, including Mendonca, were accused of conspiring to rob a Lake County home while dressed as law enforcement, according to court records.

Mendonca pleaded not guilty to six federal charges after his Dec. 19 arrest, and the U.S. Attorney General's Office moved to dismiss the case against him in April.

Federal prosecutors have not returned requests for comment about the dismissal. Lake County court records stated Mendonca challenged the federal search warrant in court.

The 43-year-old is scheduled to be arraigned on the fresh drug charges Aug. 27 at the Lake County Courthouse.

Jeremy Walsh is a staff reporter for Lake County Publishing. Reach him at 263-5636, ext. 37 or jwalsh@record-bee.com. Follow his court coverage on Twitter, @JeremyDWalsh or #Lakecourt.